XI. FUNDING
- CCD recommends the House bill authorization level for the Part B State Grant Program. We urge you to ensure that the final bill retains separate “such sums” authorizations of appropriations for each of the Part D programs, as the Senate bill does and to reject the consolidation of authorizations for Part D programs that is in the House bill.
Rationale: We are distressed that funding discussions rarely address the persistent under funding for Part C of IDEA, the Section 619 Preschool Program and Part D National Activities. These critical programs which serve infants, toddlers and preschoolers, train special educators and related services personnel, develop and disseminate research and model practices, support parents and technology and provide technical assistance have been stagnant in funding for over a decade. Without the robust infrastructure that these programs are intended to provide, Part B will not have the impact it should.
Finally, the new bill will likely exacerbate the challenges related to under funding because of provisions that allow LEAs to direct a percentage of IDEA funds to a pre-referral program and provisions that allow IDEA funds to be used for activities beyond the scope of special education students. However promising, these activities represent a diversion of funds from special education students who are currently underserved by IDEA.
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